Vampire, Greater
Greater vampires are intelligent and deadly predators with some magical ability to boot. They are physically similar to their lesser cousins, but not just feral beasts: they are refined manipulators and more powerful in general. Many of them have a coven of spawn under their command, as well as unsuspecting locals to fortify their cover. With this power, however, comes a dangerous arrogance; many vampires think of feeding as a sport of sorts, looking for just the right target and taking exhilarating risks. When hunting, a greater vampire might use any of multiple tactics: they may simply look for easy prey in the countryside, pounce them and be done with it. They might also circuit a settlement, looking for a suitable target and luring them into a private spot for a quick snack. Last but not least, they often simply sneak into camps and homes to feed on the slumbering residents. However, unlike lesser vampires, they often leave their victims alive in order to maintain their cover. Creating a Greater Vampire Size and Type: '''The creature’s type changes to undead (augmented humanoid or monstrous humanoid). Size is unchanged. '''Hit Dice: '''Add 3 racial Hit Dice. All Hit Dice become d12s. These hit dice affect saves, skill points and feats as described below. '''Speed: '''Base land speed is increased by 20 ft. '''Armor Class: '''Natural armor bonus is increased by +6. Greater vampires don't typically wear much armor, both for comfort and a need to blend in. They may have a good suit in store, though, for instances where it's needed. '''Attacks: Retains all the natural attacks of the base creature. Also gains a bite attack and two claw attacks if it didn't already have them. If it did, use the better ones. Damage: As appropriate for a size one step larger than their own. For a medium creature, bite attacks deal 1d8 and claw attacks 1d6 damage. Special Attacks: 'Retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains those described below. All attacks that allow saves have a DC of 10 + Cha + 1/2 HD. ''Blood Drain: A vampire can suck blood from either a living creature by making a successful grapple check or from a fresh corpse (less than 15 minutes old). If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing damage equal to that of its bite and 2 Constitution damage each round the pin is maintained. It also heals itself by 3 HP per round, or gains an equal amount of temporary HP if already at full health. These temporary HP stack up to a maximum of 30 and fade at a rate of one per 6 hours. When a vampire has no temporary HP from this ability, it takes 2 damage per hour until it only has 5 HP remaining. This damage cannot be healed except by draining more blood. A vampire can feed on a corpse for a number of rounds equal to the target's Constitution score in life divided by 2. Create Spawn: ''When a living creature is killed by the Blood Drain ability or is subject to it shortly after dying, it appears dead in every way but rises as a lesser vampire after about 24 hours unless it is burned or has its head cut off. If the greater vampire meets its newborn spawn within one hour, said spawn becomes unconditionally loyal and obedient until set free. A greater vampire may control a number of spawn up to a maximum of half its Charisma score. ''Detect Thoughts: ''A greater vampire can detect and read the surface thoughts of those around them by just gazing in their direction and concentrating, as if using the ''detect thoughts spell. They typically use this ability to better fool their victims and stay one step ahead of any hunters. Disguise Self: ''A greater vampire can change their appearance at will, as if using the spell ''disguise self ''and within the limits dictated by that spell. The changes are illusionary, and though they cannot be disbelieved with a successful Will save, true seeing and the like still see right through them. Mirrors and other reflective surfaces also always show a vampire's true appearance. ''Improved Grab: ''After a successful bite attack, may initiate a grapple as a free action. ''Pounce: ''May full attack after a charge. ''Vampiric Gaze: ''With just a few convincing words, a greater vampire can dazzle people into subordination. If an adjacent target fails a Will save, they become charmed as if affected by a c''harm person ''spell with a CL equal to the vampire's HD. The vampire can choose to make the target treat them as a very close friend, a lover or a superior, for example. After the effect ends, the victim is left with complete memories of the events, though twisted to suit their specific delusion. A target who succeeds on their save may not realize what was attempted, but can't be ''charmed by the same vampire for the next 24 hours. 'Special Qualities: '''Retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those described below. ''Damage Reduction: ''DR 5/silver. ''Perfect Darkvision: ''Sees as well in low-light or pitch-black conditions as most creatures do in normal daylight. ''Fast Healing: ''Heals 3 HP per turn as long as its heart hasn't been staked. An un-staked vampire falls unconscious at 0 HP, but can have as many as -50 HP, beyond which it takes no further damage. If a vampire loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. The creature can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump. If the head is lost, the vampire falls unconscious until it is reattached or regrown. ''Spider Climb: ''Can climb sheer surfaces as if permanently under the effects of a s''pider climb spell. Scent: ''Has the scent ability and is able to track creatures by their smell. A vampire can also detect fresh blood at a range of up to half a mile. ''Resistances: ''Resistance to cold 5 and electricity 5. Weakness to fire. +4 turn resistance. '''Saves: '''Good Reflex and Will saves, poor Fortitude save. '''Abilities: '+6 Str, +6 Dex, +2 Int, +2 Wis, +4 Cha. No Constitution score. '''Skills: '''4+Int skill points per racial Hit Die. Class skills are Balance, Climb, Hide, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Spot and Survival. +4 racial bonus on Balance, Bluff, Diplomacy, Hide, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive and Spot checks, as well as Survival checks to track. '''Feats: Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Multiattack and Track as bonus feats. The racial HD gained in the transformation grant one feat. Otherwise gained as normal through Hit Dice. Weaknesses A greater vampire is very vulnerable to sunlight. When in direct sunshine, it is dazzled, has no fast healing and takes 10 damage per round. Also, when looking in the direction (within 90 degrees) of the sun or a light-creating spell (Daylight or stronger), it is blinded. Areas with either sort of light also cause the vampire great physical discomfort, even when not bright enough to cause damage. In addition to this, any holy symbol strongly presented by an individual makes the vampire recoil away. As long as the creature holding the symbol makes a standard action each turn to do so, the vampire may not approach within 5 feet. After a standard action is taken to recoil the vampire, it cannot touch the holder or make attacks against them for one minute if the symbol is in their possession and visible. Otherwise prominent holy symbols and sites make a vampire uncomfortable, but don't actually hinder its movement. A greater vampire can only be truly slain by sunlight or by staking it. When it is unconscious, a wooden stake can be driven through its heart as a full-round action. While the stake remains in place, the vampire's fast healing is disabled, and it is permanently destroyed after one minute. Category:Homebrew Category:Olennot Category:Content Category:English